FX premieres new 'PVR-resistant' advertising

Digital channel FX premieres a new ad format tomorrow, one that it claims to be the first television advert preventing PVR users from skipping through commercial breaks.

The ad for forthcoming series Brotherhood, which begins next month, airs for the first time tomorrow. The promo retains its static message when viewed at up to 12 times its normal speed during the 30-second spot.

FX, which is owned by News Corp's Fox International and features mainly US drama and comedy, said it hopes it will provide advertisers with a "PVR resistant" solution.

Many channels have been looking for ways to tackle the problem of advertising being overlooked by users of PVR devices such as Sky Plus, where adverts can be easily skipped through.

Jason Thorp, senior vice president and deputy managing director of Fox International Channels UK, said: "There are a whole host of issues that broadcasters and advertisers are currently facing and about to face that are going to irrevocably change the business. A creative response will be the only solution to all of them."

According to research, 13% of all viewing on Sky Plus viewing is time-shifted, rising to 30% when watching drama. FX say four in 10 viewers of its drama Sleeper Cell - shown in April - had recorded the show to watch later.

The new FX adverts hark back to the early days of TV advertising where static images were the norm, with a product being featured as a single image for the duration of the ad.